Sheet feeding machine



Jan. 17, 1933. H. E. LINDBLADH SHEET FEEDING MACHINE Filed May 8, 1950 3Sheets-Sheet l R m m V m 1933- H. E..LINDBLADH 9 SHEET FEEDING MACHINEFiled May 8, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet" 2 INV NTOR Jan. E7, 1933. E, LQNDBLADH1,894,622

SHEET FEEDING MACHINE Filed May a, 1950 s Sheets-Sheet s INVEN TORquarter inch or less of Patented Jan. 17, 1933 UNlTEfi Sl rtTES FATENT@LFFEQE RABIES}; LIIILBLADH, OF BEOOKLINE,

LINDBLADI-I COEPQE-ATIOII, 0F BOS'IGN, MASSACHUSETTS,

r-LSSIGFJZOR TO THE A CORPORATION OF FEEDING- IVZAGl-IENE Applicationfiled May S, 1930. Serial No. 450,651.

This invention relates to sheet feeding machines in which sheets ofpaper are fed from a pile, one by one, on to an endless conveyor.

In the embodiment described herein the invention is shown attached to amachine for ruling or striking used in down-lining, Faint lining, andcross ruling paper, and includes a feeder, conveyor, an overlappingdevice, and a regulating gate, together with driving and control meanstherefor.

Prior well-known types of sheet feeding machines have included suitablefeeding means, such as a power driven suction whee or mechanicallyoperated lingers, and such means have been used to urge the top sheetfrom a large pile of sheets and feed it forward to endless conveyortapes, a plurality of which carry the sheet toward the ruling machinewhile flags, or deflector plates, push the sheet against the side gauge;and finally the sheet reaches the gate or regulating means where it ishalted, and then allowed to pass on through the ruling machine spacedconsiderably from the preceding sheet. This considerable spacing of thesheets on the ruling machine belt is necessary because of thevariableness of the sheet feeding mechanism. Each sheet must be held atthe gate the aggregate or maximum time of these variables to insure thedesired equal spacing on the ruling machine he l". it will be seen thatsince the ruling machine belt is moving fast, even an instants delaymeans a considerable open space on the belt and four inches or sobetween sheets is considered eificient for such feeders. However, anopen space causes the pens toink and dampen the belt, causes a loss oftime and consequent less efiicient use of the machine, also the smallerthe sheets being ruled the greater the loss of machine time, for thenumber of open spaces is multiplied.

With the foregoing provides a means to in View, this invention eliminateall but one this space. The sheets are overlapped before they reach theso the ga)e may engage the following sheet beftu'e the preceding one hasentirely passee. by the gate.

Another object of the invention is to elimipath describing a helicalscrew thread by means of forks and small flanged rollers, or when usinga plurality of tapes guided in a like manner, the conveying surface thusformer is flat and has a slight lateral movement toward the side gaugeas it advances which moves the sheet laterally against the ange withoutany rufiiing, buckling or 'easin Another prior practice in use toinclement the action of the flags is to twist tapes. 1

This causes the tapes themselves mate and throw the sheet against theside gauge, but here as with the flags, and usually both are used, therough handling of the stock leads to damage or misalignment of thesheets. All this loss is eliminated by the use of my invention.

Another object of my invention is to provide a table to hold the pile ofsheets to be ruled which can accommodate loads of such great weight asto distort the table from a horizontal position, and yet not bind theraising means.

From the viewpoint of the user or the machine, is desirable to have thefeeder made so the conveyor can be detached easily from the rulingmachine and folned up out of the way, leaving room for an operator tostep in front of the ruling machine and feed sheets by hand. lhis is anadvantage where hand feeding is found to be more economical in runningthrough a small number of sheets. Special means for the last namedpurpose have been devised and combined with the other instrument-alitiesof this invention, all of which will be described now in detail on reerence to tl e accompanying drawings, in which 2- Fig. l is a generalview in perspective of the sheet feeding machine attached to a rulingmachine.

Fig. 1a is a view of an adjustable side gauge.

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Fig. 2 is a view oftlie sheet lapping means and of the continuous tapeshowing the parts which coact therewith to produce the novel conveyor ofthis invention.

Fi 3 is a view in perspective showing the c utch and control means usedto insure the machine starting with the gate, the suction wheel and theoverlapper properly timed.

Fig. 4 is a view in cross section of the table.

Fi 5 is a cross sectional view on line of F1 2 and shows one spiral ofthe tape and t e overlapper in inoperative position.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the means for op erating the overlappingrollers.

Fig. 7 is a detail View of the conveyor 'fapc guide pulleys 71.

F i 7a is another view of the parts illustrated in Fig. 7, showing theangular mountin of the pulleys.

Fig. 7b is a view in perspective showing a modification of the tapeguide device.

Fig. 8 is a View of my improved shect' guard used to keep the pile ofpapers in proper position on the table.

In Fig. 1 is shown the preferred embodiment of this feeder assembled toa ruling machine, the end of the ruling machine to which the feeder isattached being shown. A shaft 2, mounted in the main frame 1, of therulin machine has mounted on it the large 0 lin rical roller 3. Asimilar roller (not s own) is mounted at the other end of the main frameand over these two rollers passes the belt 4, which is of canvas orother suitable material and serves to convey the flat sheets 10 and tosupport them while they pass under the inking pens (not shown). Thepassage of the sheets 10 on to the belt 4 is controlled by the gate 5,mounted in uprights 8, 8 of the main frame and controlled by the cam 6carried on shaft 7. The control arm 11, made integral with the gate 5 isheld in engagement with the face of the cam 6 by a spring (not shown)and when said arm is at the innermost point 12 on the cam face the gate5 is raised and the sheet 10 passes beneath it. Before the next sheethas been fed to the gate, the cam 6, acting through control arm 11, hasrestored the gate to a position to stolp the oncoming sheet.

t has long been the practice to provide a table on which is placed thepile of sheets to be ruled and which table has automatic provision forraising it as the sheets are drawn one by one from the top of the pile.In Fig. 1 is shown such a table 20 provided with guides 21, 21 adaptedto slide on uprights 22, 22 which uprights are firmly mounted in a base23 and top members 24, 24. The table is raised and lowered by means oflong screws 25, 25, rotatably mounted in said base and top members. Thetable 20 has passing horizontally through its base a shaft 27 whose endsare mounted in screw blocks 26, 26, on the screws 25, 25. Heretofore ithas been the practice to attach the screw blocks 26, 26 rigidly to thetable 20 but in practice it is found that very large loads will distortthe table from a horizontal position and cause the screws 25, 25, tobind in the screw blocks 26, 26. The novel means described attach thescrew blocks 26, 26, to the table 20 in a manner to avoid any binding ofthe screw. It is understood, of course, that the guiding and liftingmeans for the table 20 as shown in Fig. 1 is duplicated at the other endof the table. (See Fig. 4).

The turning of the screws 25, 25, by automatic means to raise or lowerthe table 20 has long been understood, therefore these parts will bedealt with briefly. Mounted in the top members 24, 24, is a cross shaft31. with beveled gears 32, 32 attached at each end and engaging withsimilar beveled gears 33, 33, attached to the upper ends of the screws25, 25. The shaft 31 can be turned by means of hand crank 34 orautomatically by means of a ratchet mechanism (not shown). It is thusseen that by turning the screws 25, 25, in the proper direction thetables position can be adjusted and the pile of sheets 28 carried by itcan be raised into proper working position. WVhen once in such positionthe arm 35 carrying a roller 36 engages the top of the pile and throughinterconnected parts 37, 38, 39 and other parts not shown, automaticallycontrols the ratchet mechanism which lifts the table 20 as fast as thesheets are withdrawn from the top of the pile.

In Fig. 8 is shown a novel form of sheet guard which serves to keep thepaper in proper position on the table. Mounted on arm 50 is adjustablebracket 57 in which a pin 58 is loosely fitted. A collar and set screw59 holds the pin at the proper height beside the pile of sheets 28.Being loosely fitted in the bracket the pin can move up as the tableapproaches its upper limits, whereas, prior devices have been interferedwith by the table. Two or more of these devices are suitably placed atthe sides of the pile 28 and are adjusted to hang about an inch belowthe top of the pile. Feeding of the sheets one at a time from the top ofthe pile 28 has in the past been accomplished either by means ofmechanical fingers, or by means of a vacuum applied on the top sheetthrough a rotating perforated Wheel. For the purposes of thisdescription there is shown the latter form of mechanism but it will beunderstood that either means can be employed. The shaft 41 is mounted torotate in suitable bearings provided in the top members 24, 24. Theperforated suction wheel 42 is adjustably mounted on shaft 41 and hasfitted inside and above its lower portion only, the suction pipe 43(hidden by wheel 42) which is attached to the pipe 44 mounted in the topmembers 24, 24.

direction of the ruling machine.

Pipe 44 connects with an elbow 45, then with a tube 46 leading to an airvalve chamber 47 and thence through tubing 48 to a vacuum pump 49. Theair chamber 47 (see Fig. 3) is provided with an opening 51 over whichfits a valve 52 suitable actuated by a link-56.

When the valve is closed the suction created in the pump 49 acts throughthe perforated wheel 42 to lift the top sheet into engaging contact withit. The suction continues until cam 54 opens valve 52. Plate borders thesuction wheel 42 and serves to steady the sheet. In practice the suctionperiod is timed so that the suction feed wheel 42 will feed the leadingedge of the sheet 10 beneath the weighted roller wheel and then shutoff. From this point on, the sheet is pulled forward by the feederconveyor which will be described later. Until the proper time foranother sheet to be fed from the top of the pile 28 the valve 52 is heldopen by cam 54 acting through cam roller 55 attached to the link 56 thewheel 42 however continues its rotation. The timing of this cam withrelation to the overlapper and the gate is of importance and will behereinafter fully eX plained.

The conveyor which carries the sheets 10 from the pile 28 to the rulingmachine belt 4 will now be described in detail. The conveyor framemembers 61, 61 attached to the top members 24, 24 and to the main frame1 of the ruling machine. Rollers 62, 68 are mounted near the ends offrame 61, 61 and tightening rollers 64, 65 are placed in intermediateposition.

In this apparatus there is preferably employed a single tape passingover these rollers in a path describing a helical screw thread. Toinsure uniform alignment of the sheets 10 entering the ruling machine itis necessary that one edge of the sheet be in engaging contact with theside gauge 68 and in the past this has been assomplished by means offlags adjusted to press against the opposite edge of the sheet to forceit against the side gauge, and also by twisting the tapes so they arecaused to rotate and throw the sheet against the gauge. Thedisadvantages associated with these practices have been overcome by thenovel means now to be described.

In Fig. 2 is shown one long tape 70, and this continuous tape is woundover the rollers 62, '63 beginning at the point A until the point B isreached. From the point B the tape is carried on the lower side of theconveyor over the pulleys 66, 67 suitably mounted in the conveyor frame,until it reaches the starting point A. The path described by thecontinuous tape is that of a spiral or helical screw thread, whichspirals toward the side gauge 68 when the upper surface -'of theconveyor tape is moving in the Thus there :is provided a conveyor havinga regular flat bend the sheets. A plurality of tapes may beused insteadof the single tape 70 illustrated. To provide the tape or tapes withthis lateral movement the forks 7 4 and s1ngle flanged guide pulleys 71hold the tapes in By making these guidtheir proper path. ing partsadjustable on the shaft 73 the pitch of this la eral movement can bevaried to suit the job being done. lVhile the use of forks and pulleysis preferred it is contemplated that other and equivalent guiding meanscould be employed. 7

here paper is being run through twice in order to rule on both sides, itis often advisable to have an adjustable side gauge 6864 (Fig. 1a andFig. 2) opposite to the side gauge 68. This often avoids having to resetthe pens and the striking cams. If the gauge 68a is being used thelateral movement of the conveyor 70 must be toward it and this isaccomplished by switching the tapes to the oppositely flanged pulleys 71(Figs. 7 and 7 a) and then adjusting them on their shaft 73 to get thelateral movement to the extent desired. The adjustable side gauge 68a ismounted on shafts 73 and 75 and when adjusted is held in place by meansof set screws 69a. The fastening brackets 69 are fork shaped to allowthe side gauge to be inserted between the tapes 70 at whatever point iscorrect to line up the sheets 10 with the ink ing pens (see Fig. 2).

Since the natural tendency is for the tape or tapes to move in paths atright angles to the rolls 62 and 63, they will oppose the action of theforks 74 and pulleys 71 which determine their lateral movement. It isnot possible to use forks in place of the pulleys 71 on the conveyingsurface for their projecting above the surface would halt the sheets 10and defeat the purpose of the conveyor. The single-flanged guide pulleys71 function as a guiding means for the tape, and do not obstruct thesurface of the conveyor. t is important to note that to prevent the tapefrom crawling over the flange 71a the axle on which the pulley rotatesmust be set at an angle to the axis of the roll 63 sufliciently large sothat the flange 71a is out of contact with the tape as it enters on tothe pulley. An angle of 7 degrees has been found sufficient to keep thetape from contacting the flange 71a as it enters onto the pulley, evenin those cases where a maximum lateral movement is given to the tape. Bythis means the tape is constantly being urged by the flange into contactwith the pulley face and never does the tape tend to overrun the flange,because of the general downward movement of the flange at the points ofmaximum contact with the tape.

Lil

In Fig. 7 b is shown a modified form of tape guide means which isespecially applicable to those cases where reversal of the tapes lateralmovement is required. Mounted on the shaft 7 3 is a bracket 173 providedwith a vertical bearing for a shank 174 into which is set the axle 172for the pulley 171. The shank is held in the bracket by a small spring178 mounted on the shank and engaging appropriate shoulders on the shankand brackct. Fastened to the shank 174 is a small pin 175 whichcooperates with grooves 177, 177 in the bracket to hold the pulley ineither of its two proper operating positions. It is readily seen that inreversing the tapes, the

operator can reverse the pulley 171 by lifting up until the pin 175 isout of one slot, then rotating it until the pin is snapped into theother slot by the spring 178. The slots 17 7, 177 are spaced to give thepulley the position required for its successful operation as abovedescribed.

This invention makes possible very close spacing of the sheets 10 on theruling machine belt 4. The liability of variation in time when thevacuum feed wheel will place a sheet on the conveyor, and the factor ofminor slippage of the sheet while on the conveyor and in contact withthe side gauge combine to prevent reliance on the sheet feedingapparatus alone, to give a correct spacing of the sheets fed to theruling machine. For this reason a gate has long been used to regulatethe entry of the sheets on to the ruling machine belt 4. Making dueallowance for these several variables the practice has been to set thegate for a gap of several inches bet-Ween sheets on the belt 4, thereason being that a certain period of halt at the gate is requisite foreven spacing, the length of the period being slightly longer than theperiod of the combined variables. Even if it were practical for thesheets to be closely spaced on the conveyor this space would varyslightly and a halt at the gate to even the spacing would still make aconsiderable gap between sheets on the belt 4. However, by bringing thesheets to the gate with the leading edge of one lapped over the trailingedge of the other, practically all of the gap between sheets on the belt4 is eliminated. The minimum overlap of the sheets is set at whateverspace is calculatcd as required to eliminate the period. of the combinedvariables. The gate of the ruling machine halts one sheet before thepreceding one has entirely passed it. Also, the gate 5 is set to releasethis held sheet within a fraction of an inch after the )rcceding one isclear.

Prefera ly the overlapping takes place while one sheet is held at thegate. The overlapping rolls 80 are adjusted in their frame 84, 85 to aposition on the conveyor frame 61, 61 which allows the rolls whenraised, to barely clear the trailing edge of the sheet at the gate (seeFig. 6). The cam 90 is adjusted to lift the rolls 80 into raisedposition just preceding contact of the next sheet 10 with the rolls 80.The rolls guide the leading edge of the sheet 10 over the one at thegate 5 and then drop below the conveyor (see Fig. 5). The peripheralspeed of the rolls 80 and the conveyor 70 is approximately the same. Asthe rolls 80 drop below the conveyor 70, the conveyor continues to pushthe top sheet 10 on to the lower one, increasing the overlap, until thegate 5 opens, at which time the lower sheet advances at ruling machinebelt speed and the top sheet at conveyor speed until the gate 5 haltsit.

For practical results in overlapping it is better that the leading edgeonly of the sheet be lifted above the conveyor 70 and then only longenough to feed it over the trailing edge of the preceding sheet. Thisresult is accomplished by this invention.

It is believed to be novel to provide a sheet feeding machine combinedwith a ruling machine where the feeder conveyor runs faster than theruling machine belt 4, whereby such a great increase in efliciency andoutput is realized. This overfeed of the conveyor is secured by drivingthe conveyor from the ruling machine belt. The latter is driven fromroller 3 mounted on shaft 2, the former from roller 62 mounted on shaft123. The shaft 2 is connected to shaft 127 through bevel gears 124, 124a(not shown), the ratio of these gears being such as to drive shaft 127faster than shaft 2. Shaft 127 is connected to shaft 123 (Fig. 2)through bevel gears 130, 131 in a 1: 1 ratio.

The sheet lapping means comprises overlapping rolls 80 mounted on arotating cross shaft 81 itself mounted in links 82 which are rigidlyattached to cross shaft 83 (see Fig. 6). The overlapping rolls 80 intheir lower position are flush with the upper surface of the conveyor70, while in their raised position the rolls 80 project above thesurface of the conveyor. After asheet- 10 has reached the gate 5 of theruling machine the shaft 83 is rotated by means of cam 90 and finger 92attached to link 82. Overlapping rolls 80 rise above the surface of thecontinuous tape 70 and lift the leading edge of the next sheet over thetrailing edge of the sheet which is against the gate. This mechanism ismounted in frame members 84, 85 in sliding engagement on the conveyorframe 61, 61. In the lower section of the frame member 84 is a shortshaft 87 carrying idler wheel 88 and adjacent to it is a short cam shaft86 mounted to rotate in a bearing in the frame member 84. Toothed wheel89 is rigidly attached to the shaft 86, which shaft also carries a cam90 provided with a thumb screw 91 to permit the adjustment necessary totime properly the rising of the rolls 80.

While there are shown rolls as overlapping means it is contemplated thatfingers of suitable material, attached to shaft 83 may be substitutedfor the links 82, shaft 81 and rolls 80. These fingers would serve tolift bodily the leading edge of one sheet and thrust it over thetrailing edge of the preceding sheet.

The mechanism carried in the frame members 84, 85 must be repositionedon the conveyor frame 61, 61 whenever the size of sheet being run ischanged. To preserve alignment between the two frame members 84, 85there are mounted in the conveyor frame 61, 61, cross shafts 94 and 103with sprocket wheels on them adjacent the side members 61. Chains arepassed over these sprockets and are suitably attached as at 104 to theframe members 84, 85. At the end of the shaft 103 is fixed a crank 105and it is easily seen that by turning this crank, the

verlapping mechanism can be advanced to any position along the conveyor.

Movement of the above mechanism along the conveyor frame necessitates aflexible drive both to the cam shaft 86 and to the cross shaft 81. Thelatter is achieved by means of a belt 101 passing over the rollers 62,63 and passing between the pulley wheels 100 and 102 on shafts 83 and 81respectively. Pulley 102 is rigid with shaft 81 whereas pulley 100 isfree to rotate on the shaft 83. The cam shaft 86 is chain driven inpractically the same manner as the cross shaft 81. Lifting of theoverlapping rolls 80 must be correlated with the gate 5 and the suctionfeed wheel Therefore it is convenient to mount a drive sprocket 106 onshaft 41 (see Fig. 3 and Fig. 1). At the opposite end of conveyor frame61, 61 is mounted on cross shaft 94 a sprocket wheel 95. The sprockets95 and 106 (Fig. 1) carry a chain fed through the frame member 84 whereit engages the cam drive sprocket 89 and is held in Contact therewith byidler sprocket 88.

It is contemplated that the sheet feeder and conveyor can be driven byan independent source of power, or the preferred embodiment shown in thedrawings illustrates, the sheet feeder and conveyor are driven from theruling machine.

Proper iming or correlation of the overlapping device, the suction feedwheel 42 and the gate 5 is important. The overlap-ping rolls 80 whenproperly adjusted on the frame 61 will barely clear a sheet held at thegate 5 and when properly timed they should appear above the surface ofthe conveyor as one sheet is held by the gate 5 nd as the next sheetapproaches on the conveyor ready to be overlapped. This operationrequires that each sheet should be started from the pile 28 at thecorrect interval with relation to the opening of the gate 5 and therising of the overlapping rolls 80. In other words, each of these threeactions should be timed to occur in a fixed time cycle. These parts aretimed by driving the overlapping control cam 90 by chain from sprocket106 on shaft 41. Bevel gears 110, 111 connect shaft 41 to shaft 114which carries suction wheel control cam 54; and bevel gears 117, 118connect shaft 14 to shaft 7 which carries the gate control cam 6. Thesprockets 106 and 89 the bevel gears 110 and 111, and the bevel gears11? and 118 are each in a 1: 1 ratio to each other as is requisite toproperly time the parts. A measure of flexibility in the assembly of thesheet feeder to the ruling machine is made possible by employingimiversal joints 113 and 115 in shaft 114 and universal joints 126 and128 in shaft 127. The coupling 163 in shaft 114 permits severing theshaft 114 during the setting up operation to be described later.

Assuming a constant speed for the ruling machine belt 4 it will beobvious that for a given time, with a long sheet being run, the gate 5will open fewer times than if short sheets were being run, thus fewersheets will be started from thepile 28, and the overlapper will havefewer sheets to lap. The operation cycle of the gate, the feed wheel,and the ov'erlapper being constant, the only change required in themachine to accommodate varying length sheets is to change the ratio ofgears 120 and 121 as these gears con trol the ruling machine belt speedwith relation to the gate and connected parts.

During the running of a batch of paper it is often found advisable tohalt the feeding of sheets while changing the adjustments of pens,striking cams, etc. The practice is to stop the feeding of more sheetsfrom the pile and then wait until the last sheet fed from the pile haspassed through the ruling machine before stopping it. When the suctionfeed wheel 42 stops, and a much better feeding job is done if it isstopped when the feedis stopped,there are several sheets en routebetween itand the gate 5 and as the latter must operate and the sheetsmust be overlapped there is provided a novel control means (see Fig. 3)which will allow these three carefully timed parts to operate separatelyto run through these few sheets, and yet when full operation is resumedwill antomatically start them in properly timed relation each to theother. The control means 151 is positioned to act when the cam 90 hasthe overlapping rolls lifted above the conveyor 70, thus ensuring theoverlapping of these sheets, and, it acts to open the suction valve 52at the same instant, but does not disconnect the gate 5, which continuesto open and close until the ruling machine is stopped.

The mechanism is shown in Fig. 3, the control shaft 142 is shown cut-offto properly expose the other parts, but in Fig. 1 it is shown extendingacross the machine to control handle 140. Rigidly attached to shaft- 142are three control arms 144, 150 and 151. Control arm 144 is shown inposition with the suction stopped. The arm as lowered shows dependingcam part 145 against part 143 attached to link 56, thus opening thesuction valve 52. At this same instant the arm 151 contacts the pawl 155at point 5 which disengages the clutch parts 154, 153 and brings cam 90to rest in a position to hold the overlapping rolls 80 above theconveyor 70. To close the suction valve 52 and start the overlappingmechanism the control shaft 142 is rotated anticlockwise. This movementbrings control arm 150 into momentary engagement with the pawl 155 atpoint a, throwing it down into locking position with the clutch dog 153,and. of course, lifts depending arm 145 away from part 143. One memberof the clutch is composed of a flange 154 attached to the bevel gear110, mounted freely on shaft 41, and on the face of the flange 154 ispivotally mounted the pawl 15!. The driven member of the clutch is asingle lug 153 made fast to shaft 41 and positioned for engagement withpawl 155. 7

When the clutch 153, 155 is disconnected shaft 41 ceases to rotate. asdoes suction wheel 42 with the advantageous result that no sheets canpossibly be fed from the pile 28 on to the conveyor, which, of course,is still moving. Thisis not true in prior art machines where the wheel42 continues to rotate and even though the suction is inactive throughit. the blower forces sheets into contact with the wh eel an d they arefed out when not wanted.

In certain cases it is found convenient to have the conveyor detachablefrom the ruling machine. This is accomplished by hinging the conveyorframe 61, 61 to the top members 24, 24 at 160. The other end of theconveyor frame 61, 61 is detachably secured in lugs 161, 161 attached tothe ruling machine frame. It will thus be seen that by detach.- ing theconveyor frame 61, 61 at points 161. 161 the entire conveyor can befolded out of the way and leave room for an operator to feed the machineby hand.

The vacuum pump 49 can be driven from any suitable source of power orfrom the machine itself.

The operation of the machine is as follows:

The sheets to be ruled are placed on the table 20 which is raised to aheight which will place the top sheet of the pile 28 almost into contactwith the plate 40. From this position the suction feed wheel 42 can liftthe top sheet into contact with it and feed it out on to the conveyor 70.

Next the length of the sheet 10 is measured and gears 120 and 121 of aratio are installed which will open the gate 5 once for that travel ofthe belt 4 equal to the length of the sheet 10 thus measured plus aboutone quarter of an inch. The machine started and the first sheet is fedfrom the pile 28 and allowed to barely contact with the gate 5 when themachine is thus stopped. This gives thetiniing of the suction lied wheel42 which must next be correlated with the openingiof the gate 5,controlled by cam 6. The period the sheet must be held at the gate iscalculated and this distance on the cam 6 is estimated to be a point X(see Fig. 1). Clutch 163 on shaft 114 is disengaged, are being taken notto disturb the suction. control cam 54. This permits free rotation ofthe cam 6, and the bar 11 is set to contact with it at the point X. Cllt ill 163 is then re-engagcd. Next the operator makes sure that theoverlapping rolls 80, when raised, will ljiarely clear the sheet herd atthe gate By turning crank 105 this adjustment can be made correct. Theother adjustment on the overlapping necessary at this point is to cam 90in the position shown in Fig. 6. This insures that the overl appingrolls 80 will appear above the conveyor after one sheet is against thegate and just before the next sheet arrives to be overlapped, and alsothat the rolls 80 will drop below the conveyor 70 after a very shorttravel of the upper-sheet upon them. The feeder is now ready to operate.

Having described the invention, what it is desired to claim and secureby Letters Patent is 1. In a sheet feeding machine the combination of aframe. rollers mounted in said frame, a drive to transmit motion to saidrollers, tape. passing over said rollers. means to lift the leading edgeof one sl eet above the trailing edge of the preceding sheet. a sheetfeeding means mounted above the paper to be fed, a support for the paperstock. a gate to control the entry of the paper into the ruling machine,means adapted to stop temporarily the feeding of shoe 1 while permittingsaid gate to function d when dc sired to 'autmnaticallv roost s thecorrelation between said lifting and feeding means and said gate noonthe resumption of sheet feeding, and a so rce of power to providemovement to said p r 2. In a sheet feeding machine of the classdescribed the combination. of a main frame, a gate pivoted to said mainframe. a cam to control said gate, a drive for said cam. a sheet feedingmeans mounted above the paper to be fed, rollers mounted in said main-frame, tape passing ovcrsaid rollers, a horizontal shaft extendingacross the name under said tape, means to ra se and lower said. shdriven rolls on sa. shaft which when it is in its uppermost positionprotrude above said 5T tape, means to produce correlated action betweenthe raising of said shaft the opening of said gate and said feedingmeans, a support for the paper stock, apparatus to raise said support asthe paper is fed out. and a source of power to provide movement to saidparts.

3. In a sheet feeding machine the combination of a frame, rollersmounted in said frame, tape passing overv said rollers, horizontal shaftextending acrossthe frame under said tape, apparatus to raiseand lowersaid shaft, driven rolls on said shaft which when it is in its uppermostposition protrude above said tape, a suction feed wheel mounted in saidframe above the paper to be fed, a. valve to control the suction periodof said wheel, a suction creating device, a support for the paper stock,apparatus to raise said support as the stock is fed out, a gate tocontrol the entry of the paper into the ruling machine, a cam. tocontrol said gate, a drive for said cam, a source of power to providemovement to said parts except said cam shaft, and means to producecorrelated action between all of said parts including said cam shaft.

at. In a machine of the class described the combination of a main frame,a gate pivoted to said main frame, a cam to control said gate, a drivefor said cam, a suction eed wheel mounted aoove the pap r to be f d,means to control the suction period of said wheel, a suction creatingdevice, rollers mounted in said main frame, a drive to transmit motionto said rollers, tape passing over said rollers, a gauge against whichsaid tape urges the paper, a horizontal shaft extending across the frameunder said tape, apparatus to raise and lower said shaft, driven rollson said shaft which when it is in its uppermost position protrude abovesaid tape, means to produce correlated action between the raising ofsaid shaft, the opening of said gate, and said suction control means, asup port for the paper stock, apparatus to raise said support as thepaper is fed out, and a source of power to provide movement to saidparts.

5. In a machine of the class described the combination of a main frame,a gate pivoted to said main frame, a cam control said gate, drive. forsaid cam, a shee feeding means mounted above the paper to be fed, meansto control said sheet feeding means, rollers mounted in said main frame,a drive to transmit mot-ion to said rollers, tape passing over saidrollers, a gauge against which said tape urges the paper, a horizontalshaft extending across the frame under said tape, a device to raise andlower said shaf driven rolls on said shaft which when it in itsuppermost position protrude above said tape, means to produce correlatedaction between the raising of said shaft. the opening of said gate, andsaid sheet feeding means, a support for the paper stock, apparatus toarise said support as the paper is fed out, and a source of power toprovide movement to said parts.

6. In sheet feeding machine, the combi nation of a frame, a gate toregulate the passage of sheets by a set point at definite timeintervals, means for conveying the sheets to said gate, a horizontalshaft extending across the frame under said conveyor, apparatus to raiseand lower said shaft, and rolls on said shaftwhich whc-n it is in itsuppermost position protrude above said conveying means to lap theleading edge of one sheet over the trailing edge of the preceding slect.

7. In a sheet feeding machine the combination of a frame, rollersmounted horizontally in said frame, tape threaded over said rollers, andsin le flanged pulleys set at an angle to said rollers sufficient sothat the flan e does not contact with said tape until the tape is wellonto the pulley whereby the flange acts to press the tape down ontothepulley.

8. In a sheet feeding machine the combination of a frame, rollersmounted horizontally in said frame, tape threaded over said rollers, andsingle flanged pulleys set at an angle to said rollers sufficient sothat the major portion of contact of said tape with the flange is onthat side of the pulleys axis from which the tape exists, whereby theflange acts to prevent the tape from being lifted over it.

9. In a sheet feeding machine the combination of a frame, rollersmounted horizontally in said frame, tape threaded over said rollers, andsingle flanged pulleys set at an angle to said rollers suflicient sothatthe flange is out of contact with said tape as it enters onto saidpulley whereby the flange cannot exert a lifting action on the tape.

10. In a sheet feeding machine the combination of a frame, rollersmounted horizontally in said frame, tape threaded over said rollers, andsingle flanged pulleys set at an angle of 7 degrees to said rollers sothat the flange is out of contact with said tape as it enters onto saidpulley whereby the flange cannot exert alifting action on the tape.

11. In a sheet feeding machine the combination of a frame, rollersmounted horizontally in said frame, tape threaded over said rollers, asingle flanged pulley, a rotatable shank on which said pulley is carriedwhereby said pulley can be positioned to co operate with said tape togive it a predetermined lateral movement to the right or left asdesired, and means for securing said shank in either of two positions.

12. In a sheet feeding machine the com.- binat-ion of a frame, rollersmounted horizontally in said frame, tape threaded over said rollers insubstantially straightupper and lower flights, means to give said tape apredetermined lateral movement, and a gauge against which said tapeurges the sheets.

13. A sheet-feeder comprising spaced rolls.

an endless conveying member operating over the rolls, and intermediateguide-rolls for the conveying member provided with flanges rotatable insubstantially vertical planes, the flange of each rotatable guide-rollcontacting with the conveying member only at its down-going side.

14. A sheet-feeder comprisin spaced rolls, an endless conveying memberoperating over the rolls, an intermediate support extending transverselyof the conveyin member, and guide-rolls for the conveying member mountedupon the support and rotatable about axes extending transversely of saidconveying member but lying atan angle to the direction of extension ofthe support.

15. A sheet-feeder comprising spaced rolls, an endless conveying memberoperating over the rolls, an intermediate supporting spindle having itsaxis extending transversely of the conveying member, and flangedguide-rolls for said conveying member mounted upon the spindleand'rotatable about axes lying at an angle to that of the spindle.

16. A sheet-feeder comprising spaced rolls, an endless conveying memberoperating over the rolls, an intermediate support extending transverselyof the conveying member, brackets carried by the support, and guiderollsfor the conveying member rotatable upon the brackets about axes lying atan angle to the axis of the spindle.

17. A sheet-feeder comprising spaced rolls, an endless conveying memberoperating over the rolls, intermediate guide-rolls for the conveyingmember provided with flanges rotatable in substantially vertical planes,the flange of each rotatable guide-roll contacting with the conveyingmember only at its down-going side, and means arranged to ad just the psitions of the guide-rolls independently of one another.

18. A sheet-feeder comprising spaced rolls, an endless conveying memberoperating over the rolls, an intermediate support extending transverselyof the conveying member, brackets caried by the support, guide-rolls forthe conveying member rotatable upon the brackets about axes lying at anangle to the axis of the spindle, and means arranged to adjust thebrackets upon the spindle.

19. A sheet-feeder comprising spaced rolls, an endless conveying memberoperating over the rolls, an intermediate support extending transverselyof the conveying member, brackets carried by the support, guide-rollsfor the conveying member rotatable upon the brackets about axes lying atan angle to the axis of the spindle, and means arranged to adjust uponthe spindle the angular relation of the brackets.

20. In a sheet feeding machine the combination of a frame, rollersmounted in said frame, a drive to transmit motion to said rollers, tapepassing over said rollers, means to lift the leading edge of one sheetabove the trailing edge of the preceding sheet, rotating sheet feedingmeans mounted above the paper to be fed, a support for the paper stock,a gate to control the entry of the paper into the ruling machine, meansadapted to stop temporarily the rotation of the sheet feeding meanswhile permitting said gate to function and when desired to automaticallyreestablish a correlation between said lifting and feeding means andsaid gate upon the resumption of sheet feeding and a source of power toprovide movement to said parts.

21. In a sheet feeding machine, the combination of a frame, a gate toregulate the passage of sheets past a set point at definite timeintervals,means for conveying sheets through said gate, a horizontalrotating shaft extending across the frame under said conveyor, apparatus to raise and lower said shaft, and driven rolls on and rotatingwith said shaft, which when it is in its uppermost position, protrudeabove said conveying means to lap the leading edge of one sheet over thetrailing edge of the preceding sheet.

22. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a mainframe, a gate pivoted to said main frame, a cam to control said gate, adrive for said cam, movable suction sheet feeding means mounted abovethe paper to be fed, means to control the suction period of said sheetfeeding means, means to control the motion of said sheet feeding means,rollers mounted in said main frame, a drive to transmit motion to saidrollers, a tape passing over said rollers, a gauge against which saidtape urges the paper, a horizontal shaft extending across the frameunder said tape, a device to raise and lower said shaft, driven rolls onsaid shaft which, when it is in its uppermost position protrude abovesaid tape, means to produce correlated action between the raising ofsaid shaft, the opening of said gate, the suction period of said sheetfeeding means and the motion of said sheet feeding means, a support forthe paper stock, apparatus to raise said support as the paper is fedout, and a source of power to provide movement to said parts.

HARMON E. LINDBLADH.

